Ash at the Bat
by Nintendo Maximus
Summary: Can Ash win a baseball game between the Kanto Nine and Team Rocket? Find out in this parody of the story of Casey Stengel's unfortunate loss!


**Disclaimer:** Pokémon is something I don't own. And I don't own Ernest Thayer's "Casey at the Bat".

**Author's Note:** Although this is my latest fanfic here, this poetic parody is actually older than my other fanfics! This started out as something I submitted to my middle school yearbook. It didn't get included. But I did have it posted up for a temporary time on the AAML website. Now I've rewritten the poem and posted it up here! Enjoy!

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_The setting is a baseball stadium in Saffron City. The scoreboard reads: Kanto Nine - 2; Team Rocket - 4. The Kanto Nine consists of Brock, Misty, Tracey, Gary, Kenta, Casey, Ritchie, Marina, and Ash. Prof. Elm is the coach._

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Kanto Nine that day.   
The score stood four to two with but an inning left to play.   
All of them knew they had to win, to avoid the shame  
That would come to them if Team Rocket won the game. 

_Team Rocket, as a baseball team, is coached by Giovanni. The players include Tyson, Domino, Jessie, James, Mondo, Butch, Cassidy, Buson, and Bashou. "Aaaah, I hate wearin' dis costume!" Meowth, dressed as the team mascot, complains._

A straggling few got up to go home in deep despair and take a rest,  
But the rest clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast.   
They thought, "If only Ash could but get a whack at that.   
We'd put up even money now, with Ash Ketchum at the bat."

_Prof. Elm looks at the player list, then says, "Tracey, you're up. You go next, Gary."_

But Tracey preceded Ash, and so did Gary Oak.   
The former was a hoodoo, and the latter was a joke.  
So upon that stricken multitude, grim melancholy sat,   
For there seemed but little chance of Ash getting to the bat. 

_Tracey steps up to the plate. Giovanni sends Tyson up to the mound to pitch. Tyson throws the Pokéball, expecting to strike Tracey out. But surprisingly, Tracey hits the ball, and none of Team Rocket can catch it. The same results go with when Tyson pitches to Gary._

But Tracey let drive a single, to the wonderment of all.   
And Gary, the much despised, tore the cover off the Pokéball.   
And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,   
Tracey was safe at second base, and Gary was a-huggin' third. 

_Tracey and Gary reach their respective bases. "Beat **that**, Tyson!" Gary gloats, and Tyson responds with an angry scowl. A huge round of applause then occurs._

Then five thousand throats or more let out a joyous yell.   
It rumbled through the Johto valleys, it rattled in the Hoenn dell;   
It pounded through on Mt. Moon and recoiled upon the Saffron flat;   
For Ash, mighty Ash, was advancing to the bat.

_Ash steps up to the plate. All of Team Rocket's members have grief-stricken expressions. Giovanni mutters, "Oh, that's a big goodbye to **our** baseball card deal!"_

There was ease in Ash's manner as he stepped into his place,   
There was pride in Ash's bearing and a smile lit Ash's face.  
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,   
No stranger in the crowd could doubt it was Ash at the bat. 

_"I'll hit you a good one, guys!" Ash says to his teammates. He then turns around and stares at Tyson in a "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" fashion._

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt.   
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.  
Then, while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,   
Defiance flashed in Ash's eye, a sneer curled Ash's lip.

_"You're going down, Tyson!" Ash gloats. Tyson feels a little uneasy about this. Nevertheless, he readily throws the Pokéball._

And now the red-and-white sphere came hurtling through the air,   
and Ash stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.   
Close by the sturdy trainer, the ball unheeded sped.  
"That's not my style," said Ash. "Steeee-rike one!" the umpire said. 

_Tyson wipes off some sweat. "That didn't seem too hard."_

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar   
Like the beating of storm waves on the Cinnabar Island shore.  
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand,   
And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Ash raised his hand.

_The crowd tosses various violent objects in the direction of the umpire, but Ash puts a stop to it by raising his hand._

With a smile of wholesome charity, great Ash's visage shone.  
He stilled the rising tumult, he bade the game go on.  
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the metal sphere flew.  
But Ash still ignored it, and the umpire yelled, "Steeee-rike two!"

_"Looks like I'm on a roll," Tyson fans himself with his cap. But now the crowd is even more angry._

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and the echo answered, "Fraud!"   
But one scornful look from Ash, and the audience was awed.   
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,   
And they knew that Ash wouldn't let that ball go by again.

_Ash spits on his hands and puts a tight grip on the bat. He flashes such an angry expression at Tyson that the big Rocket starts to feel very small. Hesitantly, Tyson prepares to pitch._

The sneer is gone from Ash's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate.   
He pounds, with cruel violence, his bat upon the plate.  
And now the Rocket pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,   
And now the air is shattered by the force of Ash's blow.

_Ash swings..._

Oh, somewhere in this favored land, the sun is shining bright.   
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.  
Somewhere people laugh, enjoying the glorious summer season.  
That somewhere is Kanto, for mighty Ash has hit a home run.

_The Pokéball flies all the way out of the stadium, and the score at the end of the game reads: Kanto Nine - 5; Team Rocket - 4. Angrily, Giovanni throws down his coach hat and curses. The rest of the Kanto Nine comes to congratulate Ash, including Misty kissing him. The victorious team heads off to party. Jessie and James try to consult their Boss and tell him that winning isn't everything, but Giovanni is too busy stomping on his hat to listen._

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Well, there you have it - Ash just won a baseball game! And to think everyone thought all versions of "Casey at the Bat" were supposed to have a sad ending. See y'all later!


End file.
